Portland chainsaws are made for Harbor Freight Tools by various overseas manufacturers. Harbor Freight owns the Portland brand and uses it for budget-friendly gas and electric chainsaws. These chainsaws are not made by major brands […]
Monthly Archives: January 2026
42 posts
Your chainsaw chain keeps coming off because the chain tension is too loose. Chain derailments also occur from worn bars, sprockets, or chains, incorrect chain size or type, poor tensioning technique, or new chains stretching […]
Clean a STIHL chainsaw by removing the bar and chain, then brushing or blowing out sawdust from the sprocket area, bar groove, cooling fins, and air filter. Remove burrs, clean with resin solvent if needed, […]
Crank a STIHL chainsaw by placing it on flat ground, engaging the chain brake, and setting the Master Control Lever to full choke. Pull the starter cord until the engine fires, move to half-choke, pull […]
Test a chainsaw coil by removing the spark plug, reconnecting it to the ignition lead, grounding it against the engine, and pulling the starter cord to check for a strong blue spark. For accuracy, use […]
Fell a tree with a chainsaw by clearing the area, planning a safe escape route, and cutting a directional notch on the fall side. Make a back cut slightly above the notch hinge, stop before […]
On STIHL chainsaws, MS means Motorsäge, the German word for chainsaw. This label identifies a gasoline-powered STIHL chainsaw. Battery-powered models use the prefix MSA, electric models use MSE, and the numbers that follow, such as […]
Replace a chainsaw bar if it’s bent or twisted, the groove is badly worn, the edges are flared, or the nose sprocket is damaged. Excessive chain wobble or a large lip also means it’s worn […]
Poulan chainsaws are manufactured by the Husqvarna Group, a Swedish outdoor power equipment company. Husqvarna owns the Poulan brand and produces its chainsaws using shared consumer-grade technology also found in brands like McCulloch and Jonsered. […]
The best chainsaw brand depends on use case rather than a single manufacturer. Stihl, Husqvarna, and Echo make the best gas-powered chainsaws for durability and cutting power. Ego, Milwaukee, and DeWalt make the best battery-powered […]